Midyear Firewall Painting

[Eric H.]

I'm about to embark on repainting my firewall. Engine and transmission are out. Wiper drive and heater box are off and only some minor odds and ends left to remove. Got most of the paint off and cleaned down to the bare fiberglass. Looks to me like the firewall was originally painted (poorly) along with the fender liners(?). The inside of the fenders appears never to have been originally painted. Are these observations correct?

This car is a driver and as such I have no intent to determine the "handedness" of the original painter or the extent of his overspraying. I plan to use the GM black reconditioning paint.

Any tips, advice or recommendations?

[Ron De Vries]

Re: Midyear Firewall Painting

Yes they are. the 67 Im working on has or should I say "had" the paint placement as you described. entire fire wall painted down to the floor and inner fenders about half way around the back side and no paint by the gills. My beef is with the guy on the line that sprayed the black undercaoting sealant???(what ever that gunk is) around the steering column, wiper motor depression and heater box. Is there supposed to be sealant around the heater box or should it be bare with just the foam seal visable?

[Eric H.]

Re: Midyear Firewall Painting

Ron -

Mine seems to be all bare fiberglass. I haven't noticed undercoating anywhere.

Thanks for your response.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Midyear Firewall Painting

Ric,

I think what Ron is referring to is something I observed on my 70, but I wasn't sure it was original at the time: If you examine the firewall closely around the grommets and other penetrations, you may see some asphaltic type material literally daubed around these grommets and other closures such as the wiring harness.

This process was apparently done quickly and carelessly with runs. The material is not soft; if you break off a small piece, the fracture surface is very shiny like tar. You won't see this on your mid-year, but on shark cars, this material appears identical to the black sealing material used in the wiper mechanism well in front of the windshield.

Chuck Sangerhausen

[Eric H.]

Re: Midyear Firewall Painting

Chuck - Thanks. I didn't notice anything around the grommets, however, there is a non-hardening "tar" type sealer around the hood release cable penetration.

Ric

[Floyd # 21606]

Re: Midyear Firewall Painting

The tar type material that you speak of was put around some of the heater boxes and other areas,if the car was determined a "leaker" when the factory performed the water leak test. My 65 has this stuff around the heater box and around some of the thru firewall grommets. Hope this helps. Floyd